Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin nüvi 680 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Digital camera Review: Can't imagine a more user-friendly, accurate GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
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Turns out this article didn't steer us wrong. Stop all your researching and just buy the Garmin nuvi 680. It's practically perfect in every way.
Digital camera Review: Dangerous to use on roads
Summary: 2 Stars
Garmin 680 is just dangerous to use.
1. For strange reason, Garmin decided not to give any intruction about the next turn until 0.7 mile ahead. WHY? Why not 2 or 3 miles ahead so I have enough time to get to the best lane? 0.7 is for 60mph speed. For lower speeds it is 0.2.
2. There is no large left/right turn sign on the screen like on most GPS devices. You have to look at the map and your route to figure out the next maneuver. Again, the next maneuver is not clear, you have to figure it out.
3. You can see text like "Southeast on ramp" which are totally useless becuase there is no compass/heading in the routing mode.
4. Instruction at the top switches from current street to some general directions to the next maneuver. It is confusing to find which is which. What is the purpose of it?
5. There are some errors like a) the small turn map disappears after the turn, it should show the next turn, b) map doesn't center on your car position etc.
6. Close to 0 (zero) ability to customize the unit for your preferences.
Digital camera Review: Disappointed by Garmin
Summary: 2 Stars
I chose the Nuvi 680 over other comparable devices based on the Garmin reputation. I should have known better. This product consistently gets me lost and comes up with head-scratching routes for me to take. The only options I have to tweak the route calculation settings are faster or shorter route. You can't adjust the sensitivity for freeways or surface streets, etc. I assume the faster route gathers traffic info from the MSN Direct receiver but since the receiver does not appear to accurately receive updated traffic data unless it is always plugged in to an outlet (even when you are nowhere near your car or gps unit) it is not surprising the faster routes seem pretty slow. The short route option is simply zig zagging through streets to reach your destination since driving diagonally toward your destination is usually not an option.
Now back to the MSN Direct receiver. If you do not keep your MSN Direct receiver plugged in and draining your car battery, it will take about 45 minutes to sync up. By then you will have already reached your destination.
One of the reasons for purchasing this product was the 1 year free MSN Direct subscription. What a joke this feature is. While driving on the freeways of Los Angeles (the 10 or 101) it often gives me flash flood warnings. OK. Or it directs me to a freeway route and the traffic data is actually correct--there is traffic! Thanks for suggesting this route.
The navigation through the menus is not the best either. Though the menus are simple, you often have to hit the back button several times before returning to the main screen. There isn't a main screen button. This can be distracting when you are driving. :P
Also, the map displays all freeways as RED. Hmm, that's a good color for freeways. Makes me think all freeways are heavily congested all the time. Even in LA that is not always true. If you are going to put traffic data on a map, better make it straightforward. Green for no traffic, yellow for moderate traffic, and red for bumper to bumper. It would be nice to show the sections of freeway with traffic as well, like Google maps. Instead, the nuvi 680 only displays a little sign that represents traffic and only for your immediate location. Yeah, I can see that there is traffic right in front of my front windshield but where does it end and where is there no traffic? Let me reiterate the traffic sign only shows up when you are already in the thick of it. You can't look at a bird's eye view of an area and see where the freeways are congested. This is where I pull out the iphone and check Google maps.
The only reason I am giving this unit 2 stars is for the physical design and bluetooth phone feature. Though, the speaker is horrendous for a $400 piece of equipment (think iphone).
Perhaps if I had no experience with a GPS unit I would have given this unit 3 stars. Perhaps if I lived under a rock and never used Google maps with traffic I would have given this unit 3 stars. The fact is, I also have an outdated unit from Lowrance. At least the Lowrance always gave me good directions with an easy to use interface. I never regretted buying the Lowrance. Can't say the same for the Nuvi 680. I curse it every time I get lost BECAUSE of it.
Digital camera Review: Disappointing Performance
Summary: 2 Stars
I was looking forward to using the Garmin Nuvi 680 in my area of Calif. It sounded so fantastic! We live in the Sonoma-Napa county north bay area of Calif. Population approx. 157,985 in the city proper. County population is much bigger. This area is north of San Franciso and has a lot wineries with thousands of tourist. However, the MSN.Contact part of the Garmin does not work in any area codes north except Marin County or very far north east of San Francisco. It works better in the south, or San Jose south-east end of the city. So, I really find MSN.contact useless this far north of San Francisco. Considering the population of this area that was totally a surprise.
Yesterday we took the Nuvi 680 out for a drive. It does not have our local Wells Fargo ATM listed in the directory. This ATM has been inside the Raleys grocery store we frequent for over 9 yrs. However, it did find the Wells Fargo ATM inside the Safeway store 2 miles further east on the same road. Odd.
When we programmed in the street and number for our favorite lunch spot (which is not one of the food places listed) This restaurant has been in this spot for 15 yrs. or more, It took us right by the main entrance to the restaurant and into a side entrance road instead and never warned or said a word as we drove on by.
For shopping search, it does not list some of the shop in one of the oldest and most well known shopping centers, Coddingtown Center here locally for years.
I don't feel confident in using the unit to take me any other destinations at this point. I also am under the impression this unit has an older version map. NT V8. I did some research on some of the GPS sites and found this out. Updates to this particular Garmin are not going to be free I've read. When I contacted Garmin about this they sort of avoided the question indirectly and simply stated the new maps to upload would be out in approx. 3-4 weeks. I see they are charging for some updates on their site, so can only assume they will charge for the newer update for the 680 as well.
I've returning the Garmin Nuvi 680, and am looking at other brands now.
Digital camera Review: Don't get this unit if you live in Los Angeles!
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm not one to write reviews of things, but this unit has pissed me off so many times in the years that I have had it that I felt like I needed to vent. First off the MSN free year was useless, it worked about once or twice. The other major issue I have is that it picks the absolute worst routes throughout the city of LA. Since when was zigzagging through hollywood, making multiple left turns faster than going straight down a road and making one left turn? I have it set on the fastest route possible, but honestly, it picks the slowest route more often than not. Also the freeway interchanges are often confusing, saying stuff like stay on the 110 North and then at the last minute it'll say take the 110 South, causing you to get into a near accident. The unit does eventually get you to your final destination, but don't count on it being a logical route.